seivert



July 16, 1963 D. J. SEIVERT BABY BATH Filed Nov. 23, 1960 4% zLZZ INVENTOR DORA J. 5En/ERT ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,097,367, Patented July 16, 1963 3,097,367 BABY BATH Dora J. Seivert, 1712 Edgewater Blvd., Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Nov. 23, 1960, Ser. No. 71,336 2 Claims. (Cl. 4-177) This invention relates to bathtubs and more to a collapsible bathtub for infants.

An important object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive infants bathtub which is readily collapsible to a small and flat configuration which renders it convenient for handling and storage.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a combination which includes two tubs, one a conventional bathtub and the other an inter-fitting cooperatively disposed bathtub, the latter utilizing the faucet and drainage facilities of the conventional tub.

A further object of this invention is to provide an infants bathtub which has a simple and efficient means for keeping the infants eyes and nose clear of the soap suds and water.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a bathtub as described above which may be easily cleaned and dried after use.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description, made in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts or designations throughout the several views and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational bathtub;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 1 taken at cross section 3-3.

FIGURE 4 shows a side View of a conventional bathtub with a portion thereof broken away to show the invention included therein. Elements not necessary to the full understanding of this invention have been removed beyond the outermost broken line.

Referring again to FIGURE 1, the infants bathtub '10, shown in the open position, is comprised of four main elements: two U frame members 11 and 12, a collapsible tub 13 suspended from the two U-frame members 11 and 12, and a head support strap 14 also supported by U- frante members 11 and 12 and attached to the tub 13 along the side 15.

Located at either end of the bathtub structure are fastening means 16 which pivotally secure the two U-frame members '11 and 12 together. Located adjacent and above the fastening means are folding braces 17 which add structural support to the bathtub when the tub 13 is in the open position. The folding braces 17 may be collapsed when the tub is made ready for storage as may be further understood by referring to FIGURE 2.

Located on the lower end of the two U-frame members are protective covers '18 which prevent any scratching or marring by the U-frame member of the surface on which the bathtub is situated.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the head support strap 14, one of the important features of this invention, may be seen in cross-sectional view showing its spaced relation above the bottom of the tub. As may be seen in FIGURE 3, the head support strap is secured adjacent the U-frame members to sides of the tub and may be so angulated that edge 14a of the head strap is somewhat closer to the bottom of the tub 13 than is edge 14b for a reason to be explained subsequently. The head support strap 14 is sewn to the sides 115 along seam 19 at the same time that the overlying portion of the tub is particularly side view of the infants sewn, thereby providing a simple single operation construction.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a combination showing a conventional bathtub 20 with my baby bathtub 10 included therein. The ends 2 1 and 22 of the conventional bathtub 2i) abut walls 23 and 24 respectively and side 25 lies adjacent wall 26. A portion of the conventional tub side 27 has been broken away thereby showing the relative positions of the faucet 28, the conventional bathtub drain 29 and the intermediate position of the baby bathtub with one end thereof underlying the faucet 28.

In use, my infants bathtub would be removed from its storage place and opened until the folding braces 17 are extended and in locked position. Then the infants bathtub may be placed in a conventional bathtub and one end thereof located below the conventional bathtubs water faucet. Once filled with water of the desired amount and temperature, the baby may be laid in the bathtub '10 with its head resting on the head support strap 14 located at one end of the tub 13.

It will be explained at this point that the head strap 14 may be conveniently secured to the sides of tub 13, adjacent the juncture with the U-frame member, at such an angle that the edge 14!; is somewhat raised from the level of edge 14a. The purpose of this particular type of construction is to provide a sloping support of the babys head thereby avoiding an abrupt edge which may cause the baby discomfort when lying on his back. In this manner, the babys head will lie substantially in a smooth and gradually inclining curve with the rest of his body when he is positioned with his body lying on the bottom of the tub in the Wash water and his head on the head rest. By means of head strap 14, the babys head will be so positioned at all times as to prevent the babys face from becoming submerged in the water.

After the baby has been bathed, it is a very simple procedure to lift up on one end of the infants bathtub 1i) and thereby spill the water over the other end of the tub 13' allowing it to fall within the conventional bath tub. Thereupon, the water is allowed to freely discharge through the conventional bathtub drain. Since the infants bathtub is made of a flexible sheet material, it may readily be seen that a dry sponge is all that is needed for quick and easy drying and cleaning of the tub portion. Once the tub has been dried, the infants bathtub may be collapsed by disengaging the folding braces on either end thereof and bringing the two sides of the tub together.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A baby bath comprising, a pair of inverted U- frames each having downwardly extending leg members pivotally secured together in crossed relation, said U- frames having respective spaced parallel and horizontal portions intermediate said downwardly extending leg members, a folding brace pivotally secured to opposing U-frame leg members adjacent their pivotal securement, a flexible sheet having a medial cavity suspended at the sides thereof between said parallel and horizontal portions of said U-frames, and an elongated flexible strap secured endwise to the sides near said horizontal portions of said U-frames and adjacent one end of said flexible sheet, said flexible strap lying in spaced relation above the medial cavity of said flexible sheet.

2. A baby bath comprising, a pair of inverted U- frames each having downwardly extending leg members pivotally secured together in crossed relation, said U- frames having respective spaced parallel and horizontal portions intermediate said downwardly extending leg members, a flexible sheet having the marginal sides thereof encircling said parallel and horizontal portions of said U-frarnes, an elongated flexible strap adjacent one end of said flexible sheet having a length less than the width of said sheet, a seam at-each side of said sheet passing through said encircling marginal sides of said sheet and the ends of said strap, and means connected to said U--frame leg members for limiting the angularity of said U-frame leg members, whereby said flexible sheet is suspended with a medial cavity therein and said flexible strap lies in a spaced relation above said medial cavity when said U-frarne leg members are at an angle determined by said limiting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,528,825 Graves Nov. 7, 1950 2,667,648 Donovan Feb. 2, 1954 2,719,306 Levitt Oct. 4, 1955 2,728,920 Hylton et a1. Jan. 3, 1956 10 2,972,752 Rudolf Feb. 28, 1961 

1. A BABY BATH COMPRISING, A PAIR OF INVERTED UFRAMES EACH HAVING DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING LEG MEMBERS PIVOTALLY SECURED TOGETHER IN CROSSED RELATION, SAID UFRAMES HAVING RESPECTIVE SPACED PARALLEL AND HORIZONTAL PORTIONS INTERMEDIATE SAID DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING LEG MEMBERS, A FOLDING BRACE PIVOTALLY SECURED TO OPPOSING U-FRAME LEG MEMBERS ADJACENT THEIR PIVOTAL SECUREMENT, A FLEXIBLE SHEET HAVING A MEDIAL CAVITY SUSPENDED AT THE SIDES THEREOF BETWEEN SAID PARALLEL AND HORIZONTAL PORTIONS OF SAID U-FRAMES, AND AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE STRAP SECURED ENDWISE TO THE SIDES NEAR SAID HORIZONTAL PORTIONS OF SAID U-FRAMES AND ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID FLEXIBLE SHEET, SAID FLEXIBLE STRAP LYING IN SPACED RELATION ABOVE THE MEDIAL CAVITY OF SAID FLEXIBLE SHEET. 